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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · squash · bear · rush · deal · suit · face · stock

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. drill — the tool
  9. face — to confront
  10. drill — army training
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. stock — shares
  13. face — part of the head
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. squash — to crush
  17. rush — hurry
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. face — to point toward
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bear — the animal
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com